Wolves under-23s had to fight from behind to continue their unbeaten record in the Premier League Cup after Swansea City scored a pair of stunning early strikes before the old gold hit back.
After getting back into the game in the final minute of the first-half thanks to an own goal, Wolves – who had an average age of 17, three years less than their opponents, with many players making their under-23 debuts – got back on level terms just five minutes after the break when Tyler Robert’s thunderbolt cannoed back off the crossbar and Nathan Fraser was quickest to the rebound.
Despite a strong start by Wolves, which saw Roberts terrorise Swansea left-back Jacob Jones, the old gold shirts were unable to find the telling touch to put the ball into the back of the net – and James Collins’ side soon paid the price.
The first real attack by the Swans turned into a lead, as Joel Cotterill was played into space down the right and after cutting inside, launched a stunning strike into the top corner and beyond the reach of Wolves goalkeeper Palmi Arinbjornsson.
Within the first 15 minutes, Arinbjornsson – making his debut for the under-23s – was picking the ball out of the net once again, as in almost identical scenes to Swansea’s first, Rio Campbell was allowed acres of space down the visitor’s right and he stuck another long-range effort inside the corner of crossbar and post.
Wolves attempted to get back into the match, with Harry Birtwistle and Roberts continuing to use their pace to overload the penalty area with crosses from the right wing, but the hosts were unable to get the bodies they required into the box.
However, that wasn’t to matter in the final minute of the half, as their opponents gave Wolves the hand they needed to put the ball past Harry Seadon in the Swansea goal, when Birtwistle’s cross was turned into his own net by captain Tivonge Rushesha.
Following the break, Wolves had their tails up and were comfortably on top of the contest and got the goal their play deserved. Roberts cut in from the left and his curling effort from 20 yards came crashing back off the crossbar after a touch from Seadon, but Fraser was quickest to the ball and turned the ball over the line from a tight angle – via the boot of Swansea defender Jack Stafford.
Minutes after almost taking the lead for the first time as a quick, free-flowing move saw substitute Dexter Lembikisa place the ball just out of the reach of the onrushing Lee Harkin, former Wolves forward Jaden Forrester should have put Swansea back in front, as he was found unmarked at the far post, but he could not turn the ball in from a matter of yards out.
Although already qualified for the knockout stages, the point not only continues Wolves’ unbeaten run in the competition this season, but also puts the side back to the top of the Group F table, one point clear of second-placed West Ham United, with one game left in the group stages at Exeter in 10 days’ time.
COMING UP
James Collins’ side have a quick turnaround before their next Premier League 2 Division 2 fixture, as the under-23s face Birmingham City at Aggborough on Monday evening.
NEXT FIVE
07/02 Birmingham City (H)
14/02 Exeter City (H) PLC
18/02 Middlesbrough (A)
28/02 Reading (H)
14/03 West Bromwich Albion (A)
TEAMS
Wolves: Arinbjornsson, Birtwistle, Kandola, Marques, Hubner, Keto-Diyawa, Griffiths, Hodnett, Roberts (Lembikisa 59), Barnett (Tipton 46), Fraser (Harkin 66).
Unused subs: Estrada, Bueno.
Swansea: Seadon, Rushesha, Jones, Abdulai, Butler, Stafford, Campbell, Cotterill, Forrester, Whittaker, Thomas.
Subs: Britton, Searle, Leverett, Erickson, McFadyen.
